At Home in the World

From Morocco to Mexico, Where You Can Find Pantone's Colors of the Year

2016 marks the first time Pantone—the world's "color authority"—has picked not one, but two colors of the year. The victors? "Rose Quartz" (a dusty, warmish pink) and "Serenity" (a counter-balancing alkaline blue). Together, they form a cotton-candy ombré sunset of shades that can be found around the world.

From Morocco to Mexico, Where You Can Find Pantone's Colors of the Year

2016 marks the first time Pantone—the world's "color authority"—has picked not one, but two colors of the year. The victors? "Rose Quartz" (a dusty, warmish pink) and "Serenity" (a counter-balancing alkaline blue). Together, they form a cotton-candy ombré sunset of shades that can be found around the world.

Jodhpur, India

Jodhpur is in Rajasthan, and is known as India's "Blue City" thanks to its concentration of azure-painted homes, particularly those in proximity to the city's massive Mehrangarh Fort. No one knows for sure why the blue trend took over—some say it's to indicate the homeowner's caste, while others say it's a chemical compound to fight termites. Whatever the reason, the end result is certainly serene.

Jaipur, India

Also in Rajasthan, Jaipur has come to be known as the "Pink City." In 1876, Queen Victoria visited, and in an act of extreme hospitality, its Maharaja at the time painted the entire town in a color very similar to "Rose Quartz" in honor of the visiting queen. The color lives on today.

Chefchaouen, Morocco

Northern Morocco's Chefchaouen proves that blue is the warmest color—a majority of its structures have some element of painted cyan. It is said that blue first hit Chefchaouen in 1930, when Jewish refugees started employing the hue because it represented the sky and heaven. Now, allegedly, the blue functions as a mosquito repellant.

Toulouse, France

Southern France has its very own "Pink City": Toulouse. Many of its buildings are made of a unique pinkish terracotta, earning it the moniker la Ville Rose.

Miami, FL

Miami can actually claim some ownership of both Pantone shades. The city is full of Art Deco architecture, which often made use of colors in the line of "Rose Quartz" and "Serenity," from neon iterations to pastels and everything in between.

Coyoacán, Mexico City

Coyoacán is the site of La Casa Azul (The Blue House), which was once the artist Frida Kahlo's residence. While slightly more electric in saturation—more Yves Klein than "Serenity"—the compound is as recognized for its coloration as for its one-time, uber-famous resident.

Honolulu, HI

Honolulu can't be defined by a single color, but one of its mainstay hotels—the Royal Hawaiian—certainly can. The "Pink Palace," as it is affectionately called, opened in 1927 and owes its blush to an American obsession with the color at the time; proving that things really do come full circle.